Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum Announces "SuperMann" Exhibit
New July 2006 Exhibit to Celebrate Motorcycling’s Legendary Dick Mann
PICKERINGTON, OHIO – The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum announces “SuperMann,” an all-new exhibit honoring the legendary career of Dick Mann, one of motorcycling’s most versatile and successful competitors. Mann, who was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998, will return as guest of honor on Thursday, July 27, 2006 to personally cut the ribbon during the “SuperMann” exhibit dedication ceremony.
Mann was indeed a competitor with Superman-like qualities. He was the first individual in history to win every category of AMA Grand National competition, is a two-time Daytona 200 winner, a two-time AMA Grand National Champion and a 24-time AMA National race winner. Not only did Mann win more races in more categories than anyone else, he brought home the trophies for longer than most. Competing in over 230 AMA nationals, including dirt track, road racing and motocross, Mann was in hot pursuit of the checkered flag for over 25 years, scoring top ten finishes when other racers were long retired.
“SuperMann,” the third in a series of Legends exhibits at the Museum, will celebrate the highlights of Mann’s numerous championship seasons as well as his professional achievements and contributions to the sport, including his current work for the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA). Featured exhibit bikes will likely include BSA, Matchless, Ossa, Yankee and Honda road race, dirt track and motocross bikes – all raced or developed by Dick Mann.
Visitors will also enjoy artifacts and memorabilia from Mann’s prolific career, many of them on loan from Mann as well as from private collections. Ephemera includes Mann’s Grand National Championship leathers, trophies, early design concepts for Yankee Motorcycles and other unique items that help tell the story of “SuperMann.”
Mann is a natural choice for a Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum exhibit, notes Mark Mederski, the Museum’s executive director. “Dick wasn’t just a fierce and multi-talented competitor who mastered virtually every type of motorcycle he ever threw his leg over, but his mechanical expertise also made him that rare breed of racer who could build a fast bike by himself, race and win with it.” The fact that Mann and friends will be on hand to help dedicate the exhibit is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for enthusiasts to witness a chapter of American motorcycling history in the making.
True to the philosophy behind all Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum exhibits, “SuperMann” doesn’t simply present the hardware – it delves deep into the stories behind the legend. This mission is expertly accomplished by “SuperMann” curator, Motorcycle Hall of Fame member and historian Ed Youngblood. Youngblood, an award-winning author, also penned the Dick Mann biography, “Mann of His Time.”
The “SuperMann” exhibit opening has been scheduled to precede the July 28 – 30 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH, located just 90 minutes north of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. The dedication ceremony and reception is scheduled for 5 pm Thursday July 27 and is open to the public. Visitors can also enjoy “Motocross America,” the colorful exhibit tracing America’s original action sport, on the Museum’s main gallery level.
Collectors wishing to lend their Mann bikes or ephemera in support of the exhibit should contact the Museum. Says Mederski, “With a multi-faceted career like Dick Mann’s, we expect a treasure trove of additional bikes, photos and ephemera preserved in private collections. While we have already identified a good selection of these, we enthusiastically welcome additions that help us create the ultimate Mann retrospective.”
For a complete online biography of Dick Mann, visit the Motorcycle Hall of Fame section at www.motorcyclemuseum.org
